This invention is in the field of thin and ultrathin polymeric films. This invention relates generally to layer-by-layer assembly of ultrathin and reactive ultrathin films from polymeric materials.
Methods that permit the deposition or assembly of reactive polymer films on topologically complex substrates are useful for the patterning or chemical modification of surfaces of interest in a broad range of applications. Aqueous methods for the layer-by-layer deposition of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes on surfaces are used widely for the bottom-up assembly of nanostructured polymer films. These methods generally take advantage of multivalent weak interactions (e.g., electrostatic or hydrogen bonding interactions) between polyelectrolytes and oppositely charged surfaces and allow precise control over the thicknesses, compositions, and morphologies of thin films fabricated from a broad range of water soluble polymers. The stability of the resulting multilayered assemblies depends, in general, upon the nature of the multivalent interactions within the films and the extent to which these interactions can be disrupted by changes in environmental conditions (e.g., pH or ionic strength). It has been demonstrated that it is possible to enhance the stability of these supramolecular assemblies or modify their physical properties by chemically crosslinking the polyelectrolyte components of these films post fabrication.
Azlactone functionalized monomer and polymers are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,304,705; 5,081,197; 5,091,489 and 5,039,813 disclose azlactone functionalized monomers and synthetic methods for making azlactone monomers. Methods of making azlactone functionalized polymers from azlactone functionalized monomers are disclosed, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,486,358. Azlactone functionalized copolymers are disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,981,933. The disclosure of these Patents are herein incorporated by reference.